Posted by Bob Joles on December 16, 2003 at 03:25:06:
In Reply to: equipment on soundtracks posted by George Balkum on December 15, 2003 at 21:30:58:
Tommy Johnson's main tuba for many years was a silver Mirafone 185 CC. Tommy in more recent years has used both the Mirafone 188 and the 190 (I owned the 190 proto-type for a few years). In Tommy's early days in the studios he sometimes used a 6 valve 184 with a second bell from a contra bass trombone attached to the (players) left side of the horn. It was detachable and stored in the main bell for ease of transport to and from gigs. He got the most amazing, huge bass trombone-ish sound out of that second bell. Frank Comstock LOVED the sound of that horn and wrote for it specifically.
As CK states Tommy and Jim Self both use the Yamaha 822 F tuba. For his CC tuba, Jim has "Monica" - a BAT if ever there was one! You can see many of Jim's instruments on his web site (link below).
John Van Houten (last time I saw him) was using a Mirafone 186 CC and a 6 valve Mirafone 181 F tuba.
Not too sure about which tuba Bob Sanders, Doug Tornquist or Fred Greene use when they're called, but they're ALL exceptional players. In addition to tuba they all must play bass trombone, contra bass trombone, cimbasso and occasionally euphonium.
The "studio" composers do write some interesting things for the tuba to do from time to time. When a solo pops up, these gentlemen will step up to the plate and hit a home run every time. They are among the very best in the world.